Hypothermia
by FeatherWings
Summary: Mannen gets sick and this triggers a series of events. COMPLETE
1. Fatigue

Hypothermia 

After Takako was saved from darkness and after Himeno woke after saving her, Takako and Sasame moved to their own house and the other knights moved in with Himino and her family. Life seemed normal...for a while.

Mannen's Room---

There was a loud knock on the door followed by a shout that obviously belonged to Go. "Mannen! Get your ass out of bed!" The half-asleep Mannen lifted his head off the pillow. He had been sleeping on his stomach like usual. He looked around and noticed that he must have slept later then usual and also remembered that he had fallen asleep without changing his clothes, but he did take off his shoes. Mannen lazily rolled off his bed onto the floor with a loud thonk "Mannen get up!" Once again Go yelled.

"Ok! Ok! I'm up!" he yelled back. 'Jeez' he thought. He sat up and gathered both his shoes, which he had just kicked randomly off his feet somewhere in his room. After he put them on he went down to the breakfast table.

He sat down in a spot between Shin and Go, Hajime was on the other side of Shin. And everyone else was already almost done eating. He had started going to school like every kid his age. For him it was very VERY boring. (AN/ I hate school.) He wasn't doing well either. Shin and Hajime went to a different school then him because, of course, he was older then them. He had a few friends but didn't really like most of the kids. Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked down at the food in front of him, it didn't look too appetizing today for some reason. He picked at it a little but that was it. Go looked over at his plate.

"Mannen why aren't you eating?" Go said now trying to stuff some bread in Mannen's mouth by force.

"Cut it out!" Mannen said after he pushed the bread out of his face. "I'm just not hungry." And with that he left the room with Shin and Hajime fallowing. They grabbed their backpacks as they left to go to school.

"Mannen," Shin began as they walked, "are you sick?"

"Why is everyone suspicious of me this morning!?"

"Sorry." Shin focused his eyes on the ground.

"But you usually eat a lot." Hajime said. Mannen just seemed to try and ignore him now. Mannen walked his two brother-ish friends to their school.

"I'll see you guys later." Mannen said a little cheerier then before.

"See ya Mannen!" Hajime said then ran toward the school holding Shin's small hand.

"Bye-Bye Mannen!" Shin waved to Mannen while running next to Hajime. Mannen waved back at him before starting to walk to his middle school.

'I must be later then I thought.' he thought to himself. 'I don't see any of my friends around.' He started to take a shortcut through the park. 'Why am I so damn tired!?" he decided to take a rest on a bench in the park. 'I don't care if I'm late...so tired...' he laid on his side on the bench and soon fell asleep without noticing.

()()()()()()()()A little while later()()()()()()

Awayuki Mansion--

Hayate looked out the window. He was one of the few people in the mansion because everyone else went to school or work. He worked at the mansion. It was raining. The phone began to ring and caught him by surprise; he jumped a little.

"Hayate, can you get that?" Natsue called down to him. He picked up one of their many phones.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this the Awayuki residence?" the person on the other line asked.

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Awayuki Town Middle School. Mannen, isn't in school today but no one called in for him."

"That's strange, because he left for school this morning."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I see. And--" the line cut off. Probably because of the rain, someone must have had a car accident and hit a phone line.

'Damn it. Where the hell is Mannen if he's not at school?!' he thought to himself. 'I'll have to call the others and tell them. Wait! How the hell can I do that if the phone lines are dead!? Maybe cell phones still work.' he tried it, and to his relief; it worked. He had called Kei first since Go would probably get paranoid. Go thought of the younger knights as little brothers, as the younger knights thought of him as a big brother. And of course, siblings fight. Kei answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Kei, it's Hayate."

"Hm? Why are you calling me?"

"It's Mannen. He's not at school. Is he there by any chance?" Hayate doubted this very highly.

"No, he isn't. I'll call the others and call you back."

"Ok." Kei hung up. Hayate looked out the window once more, waiting for Kei to call back. It was still raining. Many minutes went by before Kei called back.

"None of us have seen him. I even called Himino and she's going home now. The others are going to look around. You stay there incase he comes home."

"Right." Kei hung up again.

()()()()()Himeno's school()()()()

Himeno ran out of her school. She used the excuse that her little brother was missing, which of course was true. She was getting wet from the rain but she didn't care, she kept turning her head everyway to see if she saw Mannen. He was afraid of loosing one of her family again. 'Mom' she thought but shook her head. This wasn't the time for that. She needed to find Mannen! She ran through the park and noticed up ahead something was unusual. When she was closer it looked like snow. But it was raining so how could that be? She was thinking. When she finally reached it she found it really was snow, and under the thin layer was Mannen! He looked like he was sleeping.

"Mannen." she said but he didn't respond. She said it louder. "Mannen!" but the boy still wouldn't wake. She shook him slightly and noticed he felt cold even though he was the ice knight and shouldn't be effected by his own snow. "Mannen! Mannen!" She started to panic then Go ran up. He had heard her screaming while he was close by.

"Himeno what's--" he cut himself off when he looked at what she was kneeling by.

"I can't wake him up, he's cold." She was now in tears.

"Himeno its ok." he tried to comfort her. Mannen was course alive, but she must have started to panic before noticing that. He knew what happened with her real mother, it had affected her greatly. Go put his hand on Mannen's cheek and used his power over heat to warm the young boy's body. Mannen stirred a little then cracked opened his eyes.

"Huh? What's going on?" he said weakly and dazedly. Go picked him up and he and a very relived Himeno walked toward home.


	2. Ice Crystals

Hypothermia Chapter 2

Mannen looked around with his blurry vision. He saw the scenery moving around and saw that there was a pink haired person next to him. At the moment he couldn't think of who it was. He also noticed that he was being carried in someone's arms. Before he could ponder on this longer, he went back too sleep as he felt that he could no longer drive the drowsiness away. Go looked down at the now sleeping child and held him tighter as he felt him begin to tremble as if he were cold or scared. Go looked over at Himino to see if she was ok and saw that she was looking behind them so he too looked and saw that they were leaving a trail of snow made accidentally by Mannen.

"Go?" Himino started as the man turned his head to her. "What's wrong with him?"

"This is what happens when a leafe knight becomes ill. We loose control of our powers, which in several cases can be very dangerous for both the knight and everything around him. We have a better immune system then normal people so it doesn't happen very often. I'm not sure what caused him to get sick like this." Himino nodded and went back to her thoughts. Go looked down at the trembling boy again. He hoped that they would be able to help him. They neared the Awayuki Mansion gate and he stood waiting patiently while Himino opened the metal bar door. After she opened it she quickly pulled her hand away and held it in the other.

"Himino, what's wrong?"

"The bar is freezing cold!" Go's eyes widened for a second then returned to normal.

"Let's get inside. I'll use my foot to close the gate." Himino nodded and walked in while Go did the same while closing the gate behind him using his foot so he didn't have to feel the coldness of it and so he didn't have to put Mannen down. Without knowing it, they began to jog toward the house to quickly get Mannen inside but soon was stopped when Go slipped on some ice that was created beneath his feet.

"Shit! Himino here, take Mannen." Himino took the child from her friend so that he could get up with much trouble. From only holding Mannen for a short time, she began to shiver so Go took back Mannen as soon as he could. It didn't affect him much because he was a leafe knight and because he was one of fire. They walked carefully now so they wouldn't slip on anymore sudden ice that was made. They finally made it to the door, which Himino opened with caution this time but luckily it did not become cold. Hayate was standing near the door to see if Mannen came home and was both relived and shocked when they came in.

"What happened?"

"Found him on a park bench."

"That lazy--!" Mannen shifted a little at the sound of the yell.

"Sick."

"Oh..." Hayate looked at the normally energetic boy and felt sorrow at the sight of him.

"We need to do something to help him." Go broke the silence that had lasted a few moments. The two others nodded. "I'll take him to his room. You guys get something for him." He wasn't thinking very clearly. He hoped the others were. Go hurried away. In a few minutes he was got close to Mannen's room when another patch of ice formed below his feet. He slipped forward and dropped Mannen who created more ice under himself and slid till he hit the wall. Go tried to get up quickly but noticed his hand was partially frozen to the floor. He used his fire to get his hand loose and got to Mannen. Go picked him up and saw that on each of Mannen's cheeks there were long ice crystals. The boy's face was twisted like he was having a nightmare. Go returned to getting Mannen to his room. He walked by the wall to lean against it just incase something else happened unexpectedly. He finally reached the room and opened the door. There hadn't been another mishap yet. Go walked over to the bed and placed him gently down on it. He put the blankets over him and tried to warm the room and the boy. If he used his power too much then he'd end up like Mannen and that wouldn't be of any help at all. He wanted to be able to use his heat power for however long Mannen would be sick so he had to keep it in small uses. Mannen moved a little while he slept. Himino and Hayate walked in without Go noticing. He jumped when they finally talked.

"Is he any better?" Himino spoke. Go shook his head and looked at the things they had brought which consisted a blanket, food, and drinks that he noticed were steaming. Hayate put the blanket over the other one the boy already had on top of him. Himino walked over and put the food and drinks, which she held on a tray, onto a nightstand.

"I'll go call the others." Go said while leaving the room.

"Oh, wait!" Hayate remembered something he had forgotten to tell Go and ran off to tell him. Himino watched as he too left then turned back to Mannen expecting him to be asleep but his eyes were open which startled her.

"Him-ino...aaam I gunna dddie?" He was slurring his words and talked slowly. She was shocked at the question.

"No Mannen, you're not going to die." She put her hand on his forehead and noticed that his skin was even paler then normal. She stroked his head with her thumb as he slowly closed his eyes and went back to sleep. The ice crystals on his face seemed to shimmer in the fading light of dusk. He curled up sub-consciously and even though he had the blankets and the warmth of the house, he still shivered slightly. Hayate came back in the room.

"I had to tell him that the normal phones are down so he has to use his cell phone." Himino nodded then looked back at Mannen. "You know we should probably try and get him to eat and drink something warm."

"Oh yeah, the stuff I brought in." There was silence for a few seconds. "Hey Hayate, doesn't it feel like we're his parents right now?" They both blushed instantly. 'Why did I say that?' she wondered.

"Uh...um...yeah it does." Hayate answered also thinking 'Why did I say that...wait...why did she say that?!' They both stared at each other, flustered. 'Don't say something stupid.' They both thought. 'Just change the subject.'

"I wonder where our other sons-- I mean Hajime and Shin are!" Hayate yelled out the last part while trying to cover his mistake.

The sleeping Mannen mumbled a "Nice going there."

Himino jumped up. "Oh no!" she started shaking Hayate while still blushing. "Go get them from school!" she pushed him out the door so he ran.

When she pulled herself together she looked at the sleeping child before trying to nudge him awake so she could attempt to get him to eat something. When she touched him she was still not used to him being so cold so she flinched then continued to try and wake him.

"Mannen, Mannen. Wake up." He woke slowly once again while Himino helped him sit up. His gaze seemed almost unseeing. She put a cup of some warm liquid in his hands then helped him hold and drink it. She hadn't seen him this weak before...she hadn't seen anyone this weak since her mother's last moments. 'No stop that!' She shook her head. 'I can't think like that!'

Awayuki Town Elementary School---

"HAAAAYAAATEEE!" Hajime looked angrily at the older knight. "Why didn't Mannen show up?!" Shin was next to him, crying. Usually Mannen would come to get them after he left his own school. Hayate looked at them both. He didn't want to be the one who told them he was sick. 'Improvise, Hayate' he thought to himself. He looked slightly away while sweat-dropping.

"Uh...Mannen's school closed early." He looked at the younger knights to see if they bought it. Lucky for him, they did.

"Awww! Mannen's so lucky! Why'd it close?"

"Power outage at his school."

"Why didn't we have a power outage?"

"Because...Hey I'll buy you each a big cookie at that bakery!"

"Yay!" both the young boys cheered. They were so easy to distract. They all started walking as Hajime and Shin pulled on his shirt's sleeves.

'How does Go put up with this all the time?' Hayate thought.

Somewhere in the Awayuki mansion---

"So," Go began while he was on the phone. "how do you think he got sick? It couldn't have been something minor."

"Go, I already told you, I'll look into it!" Kei yelled at him from the other line. "Let me get home first!" he hung up. Go put his cell back in his pocket and leaned back on the couch in some room in the mansion. This place was huge and he was still finding new rooms. He sighed and got up and began to go to Mannen's room when he heard the door. Go walked in the general direction of the front door because he wasn't really sure where he was. He turned a corner and rammed into none other than Hayate.

"Damnit! Watch where you're going, Go!" Go was about to yell back when he noticed the young knights who were holding a cookie each. They looked quite cheerful.

"Hayate. Did you bribe them?" Hayate sweat-dropped as Go glared at him.

"Bribe us from what?" Hajime asked as Shin asked, "What does bribe mean?" Go looked at them then frowned in sorrow. He saw why Hayate didn't tell them. And he knew Hayate didn't tell them. It was obvious because if they knew their brother was sick, they wouldn't be so cheery.

"Guys, Mannen's sick."

"You mean he doesn't feel well?" Shin looked up at him with big eyes.

"Well yeah but it isn't just that. He's really sick." He didn't know how to explain it to them. They had had time where they didn't feel the greatest but never had they seen anyone as sick as Mannen was right now. He didn't expect them to fully understand. Hajime and Shin suddenly started to run; probably to Mannen's room. "Hey! You guys! Wait!" but they completely ignored Go.

"You don't think it's contagious do you?" Hayate spoke up. Go scratched the back of his head in frustration.

"Something tells me it isn't. But that doesn't mean we can't get sick. Whatever caused this may get us sick as well." Hayate didn't respond but merely stared at Go. "Let's get back to Himino. I dunno if she can handle two upset kids." Hayate nodded and followed Go up to Mannen's room.


	3. Alone

Hypothermia chapter 3

"Mannen!" Two upset boys ran into the room where Himino was sitting. There faces showed great worry for their brother. Himino got up and when to them.

"Guys, it's gunna be ok." she tried comforting them. Slowly, Himino walked them out of the sleeping child's room. Go and Hayate ran up.

"You can't just run in like that when someone's sick! He's trying to get better!" Go scolded but soon stop as he saw Shin's face grow puffy, red and start crying. Go ruffled Shin's hair a little as if to say 'sorry' and try to comfort him at the same time. Himino put her hands on Hajime's shoulders. He had his head down so no one could see his expression but it wasn't hard to guess.

When they thought things had calmed down, Mannen's door shut loudly. Everyone ran to it. Go opened it and saw Mannen, still asleep.

"What was that?" Himino asked.

"I dunno." Go answered with confused worry etched on his face. "Himino, why don't you take Hajime and Shin downstairs..." Himino nodded then tried to gentle push them downstairs. Hajime did not want to move though. With help from Hayate and many "I don't want to leave!" screams they got him to calm down and go downstairs. Go turned to Mannen's room. He stood in the doorway, looking at him. Everything seemed calm until Go was pushed back out of the doorway by an invisible force. He ended up on the floor by Mannen's room. When he tried to get up the door closed shut again even louder then before. "Mannen!"

Mannen's room---

_"Mannen."_ Mannen opened his eyes slowly halfway and looked for the one who called him. It sounded like a woman but the sound was slightly warped like the woman was in a tunnel. _"Mannen."_ She called again, this time his eyes widened. He looked around more panicked bust still didn't see anyone. He did, though, hear the door open and Go calling his name.

"Mannen! Are you ok?!" Go looked at the boy who was now sitting up. He was shaking and breathing hard like he'd seen a ghost.

"Go...I heard someone."

"Yeah! That was me outside your door! Didn't you hear me knocking?!" Mannen shook his head deciding not to fight.

'It was a woman's voice though...' Mannen thought to himself. He was calmer now and laid back on the bed. Hayate rushed into the room while Go was still standing in the doorway. Needless to say, they both ended up on the floor.

"Idiot...second time today..." As they both got up, Mannen looked at them as if they were mindless. 'Stupid' he thought.

"I came because I heard the door slam shut." Go nodded at Hayate.

Go was deep in thought about what happened. 'I must have had just slipped and made the door close. It must have made something else fall against it which is why it was hard to open.' Go looked around at Mannen's junky room. It seemed so possible. He looked over at Mannen and noticed he was already asleep again.

Mannen's dream---

He was in a field of snow and at the edge of a frozen lake. He looked across to see a woman standing right in the middle of the lake. She was beautiful with her snow white hair that reached down to her feet. She wasn't old at all but definatly a young grown woman. She wore a white Kimono that covered her hands but her feet, he saw, was bare footed. She stared at him with sad eyes and Mannen stared back with curiosity and aw. Snow fell and the wind began to fall. The ice began to crack. The woman didn't move at all.

"Hey!" Mannen called. "The ice is braking! If you don't move, you'll go under!" Still the woman didn't move. She just stared with her white grey eyes. Her skin was very pale as if she was sick. The ice cracked more and Mannen decided to try and save her. He ran across the ice and to her. Surprisingly, she hugged him and then the ice broke underneath them and they fell into the icy water. Mannen noticed he could breathe. He looked up to the woman's face. She smiled.

-------

Mannen shot up and looked around. His room. He felt dizzy but he had more energy then before, just a little. He looked over and saw Go leaning against the wall.

"Hey, you ok?" He asked even though he couldn't be _that_ ok because he was sick.

"Yeah..." Mannen thought about the dream.

Hayate came in the door. "Go, Kei came and wants to talk." Then Hayate walked out.

"I'll be right back." He said before following him. Mannen was alone. He just sat on his bed thinking.

"Hey Mannen!" He looked over to the door where he saw Himino. He smiled a little. She was being cheery for him, he knew. She smiled warmly and walked over to him. "Feeling any better?"

"A little." When he said that, you saw his breath as if he was standing outside in the cold. But to Himino it wasn't cold at all. Himino didn't think Mannen noticed so she didn't tell him.

"That's good. I have to get back to the others. I'll see you soon." She waved and walked out the door. Her real intention was to tell the others what she saw.

Mannen watched her leave then frowned and went back to thinking. He started to notice the clock ticking. He looked up at it and stared. It was starting to annoy him and then, in a second, it was covered in ice. He heard people yelling downstairs. It didn't stop. He heard a squeaking sound and looked over at the door, which was the direction the sound came from. It slowly and quietly closed. He couldn't hear them yelling anymore and now he didn't want them to come in anymore. He sat on his bed and pushed off all the blankets. The room grew cold. Mannen hugged his knees and slowly, the door became frozen in ice, then the window. Mannen sat alone in isolation.

------------ To be continued


	4. Searching

Hypothermia chapter 4

Somewhere in the Awayuki Mansion----

"Kei! You're being stupid!" Go yelled.

"It may be true."

"No!" Himino yelled. "We can't do that to him! We can't abandon him!"

"If we don't know what's going on, how can we help him!?" Kei yelled back.

"We'll figure something out!" Go entered. Hayate kept quiet while leaning against a near-by wall. Shin was crying and Hajime was mad at Kei. He was gritting his teeth. When he couldn't take the fight anymore he made a dash for Mannen's room. The others followed after him.

"Hajime!" Go yelled.

Hajime reached Mannen's closed door. He tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. He noticed ice slowly crept out from underneath the door. He jumped back.

"Hajime!" Go yelled again. The others reached him.

"The door won't open." After Hajime said that, Go and Hayate tried opening it but they couldn't get it.

Inside Mannen's room---

Mannen still sat on his bed. Slowly, wings of ice and snow formed on his back. They made holes in the back of his shirt. He just stared down at the bed till ice formed around the floor in front of the bed, he looked up at this. The ice grew taller and taller and formed into the shape of a person. The ice broke off to reveal the woman from his dream.

"Who are you?" his breathe you could see still.

"Tsu...me...tai..." The woman answered.

Mannen repeated the name quietly, "Tsumetai."

"Mannen. Carry my ballad. Show me the end or the beginning." Mannen looked at her with aw. The door burst open to show his friends. They had opened the door by force, using their powers, and then stared at the woman with fear and confusion. Tsumetai dissipated into the floor like how she had come. When she was gone the others ran over to their friend.

"Mannen, you ok!?" He stared at his friends.

"Yes." He answered innocently.

"Well, now that we have a lead on what's going on, I'll go research it." Kei said arrogantly as he left.

Himino walked up to Mannen then hugged him tight.

"Himino...I'm ok." She didn't let go for a few minutes.

"We won't let her get you."

"But...you don't understand..."

Go spoke up. "Mannen, she's the one who's making you sick. Isn't she?"

"Well...I think so...but--"

"So she's hurting you!" Himino cried out.

"You don't understand!" Mannen yelled and created pillars to block them away. He stood up and created more to break the window and flew out.

"Himino! Are you ok!?" She was the closest to Mannen when he created the pillars. Hayate was helping her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said solemnly. Mannen had just attacked them...

In the sky----

Mannen was adjusting to the new wings. It was harder then it seemed. He knew what he was doing. He was searching. Without trying, he was decreasing the temperature of the entire city. He stopped to rest on one of the buildings. He leaned on his knees and folded up his wings partly. He crawled over to the edge of the building and looked over. He stayed there for a while just looking at the city and the people.

Awayuki Library---

"Find anything Kei?" Hayate and Go walked in.

"I just started looking. What do you think?"

"Why would there be information on that woman here? We don't even know her name." Hayate said.

"Her name is Tsumetai." Sasame walked in with Takako. "I came as soon as I could when Kei called me."

"Sasame!" Hayate called. Sasame smiled at them all.

"I got here just in time to hear the name. I am the knight of sound after all." Then he frowned. "But I couldn't understand the rest of what she said."

"Well, at least we have that name." Kei said searching through books. The other knights joined him in searching.

Go broke the silence though. "Why do I feel like I've seen that name somewhere?"

"Maybe you read it somewhere before?" Hayate asked.

"Maybe..."

"Wasn't it a story?" Hajime walked in holding Shin's hand. They had been listening in the library the whole time and decided to show themselves now.

"A story?" Sasame looked at them curiously.

"Yeah. I think Mannen read a book once. He read it to us too."

"Mannen reads?" Go asked, surprised.

"Apparently." Kei said.

"Now I remember! When he was really young he asked me if a story he read was true." Go exclaimed.

"You think this library has a copy of that book?" Hayate asked.

"Maybe Himino would know." Sasame suggested.

"I'll go find her." Takako said then left. She wondered the halls looking for Himino. She found her in Mannen's room. She was looking at the pillars.

She whispered the boy's name.

"Himino?" She turned at the sound of her name.

"Takako!" She instantly cheered up and so did Takako, happy to see each other.

"Himino, we are looking for a book in your library."

"Oh. Which one?"

"Actually, I don't know. But it should be a book about a woman named Tsumetai."

"I don't know. But I'll come help you look." They both walked back to the library while talking about how things have been. When they finally got to their destination, they were grated by the others who were still looking for the book. They too helped look.

On top of a building somewhere in town---

Mannen sat up and stretched his wings. It had begun to snow a while ago and was now lightly frosting the town. He decided now was a good time to try and find what he was looking for or any hint of it. He jumped off the building and used his wings to fly. He soon found out this was actually a bad time due to the snow which quickly turned from snowing lightly to very hard. It made it hard to see, so he was flying blindly in a random direction. When the wind picked up it was hard to stay in the air. He was tossed around but did not fall out of the sky.

Library---

Go stood near a bookshelf and thought of a memory.

Flashback:

"Go! I read this story. Is it true? Is it?" a very young Mannen asked the older knight. He was holding up a book to him.

"Mannen, it's a story. Besides I never read it. How should I know?" Go looked at him while he laid on the ground against a tree with one eye open. His arms were behind his head.

"Because you're smart big brother!" Mannen laughed.

End Flashback-

Go smiled and continued looking for the book when a book fell from above him and hit his head.

"Son of a--" he picked up the book and looked at the name. It read:

'The Mountain Deity'

It was an old looking book with some worn pages. The pictures in it looked like a child's book but also a very important looking book from long ago, he saw when he opened it. The words were in fancy lettering but also plain and Go gasped when he saw one of the pictures in particular.

In the sky----

The storm had turned more violent. It was also hailing now and the ice hurt Mannen's wings like a thousand tinny pins. The wind was stronger then before and it was hard to breathe with how hard it pushed against Mannen. Regardless of being the knight of ice and snow, there was just so much Mannen could stand of it. His body was still weak from sickness. Mannen blacked out and fell.

To be continued----


	5. Disappearance

Hypothermia chapter 5

Mannen awoke. He was curled up next to a wolf in the snow. He looked around and saw a pack of them around him, some standing and some sitting. The wolf he was currently laying next to reached over and licked his face. Mannen sat up and looked around at all the wolves while snow and ice fell from the sky. The snow was very deep by now and ice hung as icicles from the tree branches. He looked up at the white clouded sky then at the wolves again as he stood up. They all looked at him as if to say something.

"Why are you here? Did you save me" He asked them and they began to howl. After that, all the wolves got up and turned toward a forest that was next to the snowy field he was standing in. They looked behind them at Mannen to say "follow" as some walked away. Mannen took one step and the others began to walk as well now knowing that the knight understood. He then fallowed the pack.

-The book 'The Mountain Deity'

_There lived a beautiful woman in a cave on a mountain covered in snow. She was called 'A Spirit of the Snow' there were others like her but they were very rare. Her name was Tsumetai. Tsumetai lived with wolves and a man, her husband. The man was, in fact, human who left his village to be with Tsumetai. They were in love. One day her husband gave his life to protect her from the very people he had once lived with. Tsumetai and her wolves fled from the mountain and traveled for six months till they came upon an underground cave at the base of a new mountain. _

_At this time, her stomach had grown large with her husband's last gift to her. A child. The wolves gathered food for her like always as well as for the unborn child. Once her child was born, she named her new son Zutto, meaning forever, for how long she would cherish the child. _

_Zutto grew to look like his father and mother. He had dark blue hair that he tied up like a samurai, grey eyes, and pale skin. He, like his mother, wore no shoes but bore clothes made from a moose that the wolves had caught once. He was still young only 12 or so. He learned the way of the wolves and his mother. He was curious and playful and very brave. _

_The villagers, however, found Tsumetai, Zutto, and the wolf pack. They wanted to kill them because of her husband who they thought betrayed them by going with Tsumetai. They captured Tsumetai and tied her to a tree then killed her wolf pack slowly. They also had hold of Zutto. And after the wolf pack was done in, they killed her then her son. _

_It is said that Tsumetai, not knowing of her son's death because she was killed before Zutto, that she still searches for him even in death. _

The library-

Go shut the book and looked around at everyone's gloomy face then looked back down at the book.

"What a horrible story..." Himino spoke.

"Maybe Tsumetai wants Mannen because she lost her son." Hayate suggested.

"Technically she doesn't _know _he's dead." Kei said.

"Then what" Sasame asked.

"Himino..." Hajime said pulling on Himino's skirt. "Mannen is coming back, isn't he?

"Of course he is." She tried to keep their hopes high.

The forest-

Mannen followed the wolf pack. It seemed like forever and he was still walking. The snow became deeper and deeper as it snowed on. He guessed the city had just as much and was causing trouble for people. No other life seemed to be around. They neared a clearing and noticed the wolves slowly turned translucent before ultimately disappearing. When they were all gone, Mannen was alone and he walked to the middle. The middle of the clearing, however, when he stepped on it sounded different. It was almost a hallow wooden sound beneath him.

_"Mannen." _It was Tsumetai's voice in his head. He looked up at the sky and the falling snow. _"Play out my ballad. Begin or end this story." _Mannen looked down at the snow beneath his feet where it had sounded different to step on. With his bare hands, he began to dig through it until coming upon two wooden doors that lead into the ground. There was a rusted lock that once prevented others from getting in but it seemed so old now that it wouldn't do much for locking.

The ice knight grabbed the lock and pulled at it. It was not very difficult for him to break it open. He then opened the wooden doors to find stone steps leading down into the darkness. This was somewhere he needed to go so down the steps he went.

The library-

"So what do we do now" Takako asked. Go was reading more of the book for information. Everyone one else was trying to think of what to do but weren't getting very far.

"Let's find Mannen." Kei said. "He could give us answers."

Himino came into the conversation. "He must have a reason for doing what he's doing." Everyone was quiet until Hayate got up.

"Let's go." They all were about to leave to find Mannen when Go stopped them.

"A stone." He said. They all turned their heads to him.

'The Mountain Deity'-

_There is legend of a stone Zutto had worn. A very rare stone that was given to him by his mother that was originally his father's. It is also said that that was a reason why Zutto was killed last. It was due to that stone which was once his father's. They say that Zutto reminded the people who killed him of his father who they considered to betray them. They wanted their former samurai to be tortured for leaving them unprotected from other warriors. Since they couldn't have him, they killed the one that was of his flesh and blood. Zutto, the son he never met. To torture the samurai farther in death, they locked the stone away in an unknown place._

The underground stairs-

Mannen felt the wall as he continued down. There was no longer any light where he was and an unknown feeling of his feet being stuck when he lifted them to step, indicated that his powers where continuing to go out of control. When Mannen reached a certain step, he could not find the next. He assumed he was now in a room or at least flat ground. He continued to walk blindly which he was now getting used to. When he did not bump into a wall, he assumed he was walking down a hallway and this proved to be true when a strange light up ahead lit the hallways in which he walked. It was not sunlight for it was a blue aura.

As he got closer, the light became brighter until he had to close his eyes due to the intensity of it. Fortunately, his eyes adjusted or the light calmed down to reveal a room with a large trunk in the middle. The roots had torn up the stone floor and most of the tree was no longer there. The knight walked over to the trunk and looked what sat upon it and where the light was coming from. It was a necklace that had a blue stone and was oddly cut but still shined as bright as the moon.

Mannen picked it up and it stopped glowing. He put it around his neck in the darkness and tried to find his way back up to the surface.

Town-

The group searched for their friend everywhere they could think of. They searched from the ground and the sky. The city was cold and icy with snow dunes everywhere. None of the citizens were on the street visibly and the few cars parked on the street were covered in snow. Even a car was blown over by the extreme wind.

Go heard a cry coming from the overturned car so he approached it cautiously. It sounded like a young girl and under the hood of the car, which was pointed down to form a tent like shelter, was exactly what he expected. Except, this girl had fox ears and a foxtail. She was dressed in a thin white dress with thin straps to hold it up. It only reached down to her knees. She was pale, had orange eyes and long orange hair that was tied back in a white ribbon. He wore no shoes and looked to be about Mannen's age.

The girl was huddled under the car seemingly afraid and lost. It didn't look like the cold bothered her at all but the wind did.

Go stepped toward her but as soon as he did, she ran off and was no longer seen. It was as if the dense snowfall pulled a vale over his eyes. He decided not to chase her and continued looking for Mannen.


	6. Past Collides

(FeatherWings-My stories usually have weird parts. :p sorry(?) Anywho, I'm gunna try and make it less wierd or more normal prétearish or whatever maybe O.o o.O. And for the person who keeps saying don't kill him; don't worry. I'd never kill Mannen **:3**. if you're confused or wonder what parts have anything to do with the story. You'll get it later. I hope I'm not giving away any plot, and if I am, read it anyway :p. and tell me what you think or want; suggestions.)

Hypothermia chapter 6

Mannen was lost. He wasn't sure how he was able to get lost because it had seemed before that there was only one path underground. Frustrated, he sat down against a wall to think how to get out.

He held the once glowing stone up to his face. He wanted out of the dark abyss. He closed is eyes but quickly opened them from a light that shot out of the gem. He fell backwards onto his back and saw there was a staircase that led outside.

He got up and walked to the opening. It seemed like he was back where he first went in as he stepped outside. He walked a few steps in front of the opening then looked back. The opening was gone and there was only a thick layer of snow with no indication of it being there at all.

Mannen now noticed what looked like an icy street just beyond a thin wall of trees. With the gem around his neck, he continued forward.

Somewhere in town-

Hayate, Himino, and Takako walked together searching for Mannen. Takako was made the holder of the book for she was neither a knight nor a prétear. All the other knights were off searching for Tsumetai or Mannen. Himino and Takako wore heavy clothes due to the coldness of being outside in a knight's snowstorm.

"Himino" Hayate spoke"Do you think Mannen knows what he's doing?" Himino nodded.

"He's stubborn and when he believes something he'll carry through with it."

"That may not be a good thing."

"I wonder if this book says anything more." Takako said opening it and flipping through but then shut it without finding anything. "Maybe it's like you did for me Himino."

"Hm" She looked at Takako.

"You saved me from sadness. Maybe he is doing the same for Tsumetai." Himino stared at her friend now stunned that she hadn't thought of that before.

What Mannen had yelled back in his room rang through her head. "_You don't understand!"_ He was right. She hadn't understood till now.

"But why did he get sick from this?" Himino asked.

"I think it's like dropping a stone in water." Hayate started. "In order for a reaction to happen, something had to happen first. The stone fell in the water. Then after the stone is dropped, the ripples of water continue till the water becomes calm again. But with each ripple, the next ripple is weaker." Himino stared at him. She wasn't sure she understood until Takako explained it to her.

"He means when it started it was a drastic change Mannen needed to get used to. The change happened to prepare him for what happened next."

"Ooooooh. Why couldn't you have explained it that way Hayate?" Hayate looked away but looked back when Himino spoke.

"Ma-Mannen" She rushed forward. Mannen was standing near trees across the street. He looked up at her. "I understand now! You want to save her!" When she reached him, she tried to catch her breath.

"Himino." He spoke quietly. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Knights protect." He nodded. He was more grown that she had seen. A huge gust of wind blew snow into a funnel then spread and disappeared. Tsumetai had made her entrance. Mannen walked forward to her. Himino knew she couldn't stop him. Before he reached her the stone he wore around his neck began to glow again and soon they were all at the base of a mountain in a forest.

This was the place where Tsumetai and her family used to live. Blood seemed to come out of nowhere and soak the ground. Footprints of wolves ran across the snow. It was as if the past was colliding with the present. Tsumetai just stood there. She seemed the most shocked of them all with her eyes wide open. Mannen also became shocked when a shallow cut formed on his neck.

Kei realized something then. "Wait! The purpose of this wasn't supposed to save Tsumetai from the past! This is to show Tsumetai how Zutto, her son, died using Mannen!"

Himino gasped then looked at Mannen. "Mannen!" The ice knight was being pushed around by the past. Injuries formed all over him. Bruises, gashes, cuts, and soon Mannen fell to his hands and knees. He didn't think this was what he had to do. He wanted to save Tsumetai but some other way. Wouldn't this just make her and more people suffer?

Mannen squeezed his eyes shut and then it seemed like he was kicked in the stomach as he fell on his side. Tsumetai just stared; shocked. Himino had to speak up. She wouldn't let Mannen die!

"Tsumetai! Your son's dead! I'm sorry! He died a long time ago! Right after you did! But if you couldn't save him then, save Mannen now!" Tsumetai knew the prétear was right. She had to do something.

Tsumetai ran to Mannen and kneeled by him. He looked up at her with blood dripping from his mouth and a bruise on his cheek; eyes half closed. "I'll...save...you..." Tsumetai began to cry while smiling.

"Good job young knight. You can stop now. You've completed your mission." She took the necklace off of Mannen and held it tight. The snow spirit turned into snow and blew away in the wind. The necklace was gone with her.

The group rushed to Mannen but before they could reach him the scene around them turned to snow just as Tsumetai and blew away. (AN/ and the weirdness continues but it should get less weird soon. maybe. maaaaaybe.)

Hayate grabbed onto Himino and held her tight. Sasame did the same with Takako as did Go with Shin and Hajime. They all fell.


	7. Fall to Leafania

Hypothermia chapter 7

Himino opened her eyes to find herself above the ground. She noticed that someone was holding her. She looked up.

"Hayate?" she stood up in surprise, started to fall backwards and accident kicked Hayate. Hayate grabbed her foot after it kicked him as Himino now hung from a tree. She also now tried desperately to hold down her skirt she thought she was wearing but soon remembered she was wearing heavy clothing from when it was cold. She tried to kick Hayate several times more before realizing this. The branch started to crack before completely braking off and sending them both to the ground below.

"Nice going Tulip-head..." They both got up and noticed that there was no snow and it was warm. No one else was around; Takako, the knights, or Tsumetai.

"Where are we?" Hayate pointed up so Himino looked. There was a flock of typies that flew over-head. "We're in-"

* * *

"-Leafania!" 

"Takako, not so loud." The couple was standing on a cliff near a beach; very lost. "I haven't seen this part of Leafania before but there are Leafanian animals everywhere so it must be. That and it looks like Leafania." Sasame scratched his head.

"So what should we do?" Takako had lost the book after they had fallen.

"I guess we start walking and try and find someone. Or we could build a boat." Sasame turned to where Takako was but noticed she had already started walking. He hurried to catch up with her.

* * *

Go walked through the woods of Leafania carrying two unconscious boys; Shin and Hajime. Go was thankful that they had at least staid together through the fall, which no one could see anything in. It was so dark. He thought it would be better to walk then fly because if he dropped one of the kids when he was walking, it wouldn't be so bad as if he were flying. He shook his head at the thought. He was worried about Mannen and the others. 'I hope they're ok. Hajime and Shin should be fine. I only woke up a little while ago.' He looked at the two and smiled at his little brothers. 

A large green typi popped its' head out of a bush and looked at Go. The looked at each other and blinked several times before the typi completely came out of the bush then hopped along the ground.

Go was curious as to what this typi was doing so he fallowed it. The typi led him to a small hut that was in ruins that was made of stone. It was missing part of its' roof and a piece of a wall. It probably used to be a Leafanian's home but was now abandoned. There were human-like people living in Leafania. (AN/ in my fic :p.) Go went in after the typi into the hut. He walked slowly while looking around. There were two small beds in which Go place Hajime and Shin then looked for the typi. The typi had perched himself on the top of the wall which bore no roof. He looked up at.

"Thanks typi." And smiled again.

* * *

Mannen stared at the sky. He was lying on his back in a small clearing. He felt weak and it hurt to move. He only woke up a few minutes ago. The last thing he remembered was darkness and falling. There was also the feeling of his blood flowing from his wounds, which still remained. It was different from before, though. He turned his head to on of his arms and say that there was a white bandage that was stained with blood. 

'I wonder who did that.' He looked around as much as he could and found there to be no one else. Frustrated, he closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep but a sound caught his ear and he opened them once again. When he did this there was a girl looking down at him. She looked part fox. (AN/ it's the girl from the end of chapter 5). She looked curiously down at him.

"Did you do this?" He asked her and she nodded before walking out of Mannen's line of site, which wasn't very far. She returned to a side of him with a hand-woven basket with herbs in it. She was tending to his wounds.

Mannen tried to talk to her while she did this since he couldn't do much else. "Do you have a name?" She didn't answer. "Can you talk?" The girl nodded. "Quiet aren't you?" She nodded. "Who are you family or friends?" She didn't answer. Mannen sighed. "Well, my name is Mannen."

"I do not have a name." Mannen looked up at the girl when she had said her first words to him. "I have always been on my own."

"Then I'm gunna call you...Reki." The girl looked at him surprised then got up and walked away only to return a moment later with a clay cup that had cool water in it and was slightly green. He guessed it was from more herbs she put in the water. Mannen suspected it was medicine of some sort.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because you are hurt."

"Yeah but you don't know me and didn't you think I was dead or something? Some people would have just left me there."

"I do not know how to answer your question." She looked at the knight curiously as he began to sit up and drink the medicine. When Mannen was done drinking the medicine, they slowly walked over to a tree, the girl helped Mannen walk, and Mannen sat down and leaned against the trunk. It was then when Mannen noticed his back hurt when touched. He no longer had the wings like before but the holes in his shirt, of course, still remained. The ice crystals, which had formed on his cheeks, had also disappeared and any other trace of what had happened except his wounds and ripped clothes. "I like the name." Reki said which caught Mannen off guard.

"So you've always been alone?"

"I have also been accompanied by animals of this forest."

"What do you do all the time?"

"Survive. But I also look for interesting objects."

"So you're a treasure hunter?" Reki looked at him strangely. A look as though she didn't understand. "Never-mind. Where do you live?"

"In this forest."

"Where do you spend most of your time I mean; your house?"

"I move around often but I do have a place where I keep things I find." Mannen found her interesting. It was quiet for a few minutes. "I will go find food. I will be right back." And with that she ran off into the woods.

Mannen felt so useless being so weak and he hoped that he would regain his strength soon. He guessed between getting sick, his injuries, and using a lot of his power left him worn. He waited for Reki to come back. Mannen had instant like of the new girl.

He looked around and it was only then that he started thinking about where he was. "Leafania..."

"I am back." Mannen didn't even hear her footsteps. He turned to her to see that she was carrying a huge leaf with two strange looking fish on it. She put them down then began to dig a hole with her hands and after that she put stones around the outside of the hole. She left again to come back with sticks and dried leaves. She put these materials in the hole then disappeared into the forest once again. This time, she came back with a piece of glass and held it in a position until the leaves began to burn.

"One of my findings." She was saying about the piece of glass. "It got stuck in my foot one day while I was walking near a village."

"Ow...Didn't that hurt?"

"Yes. But it happens often. Everything I have was found by me." The fire became larger and the Leafanian girl came and went from time to time to retrieve wood to feed the fire.

When it became dark, Reki put the two fish on a stick each by sticking it down the now-dead-fishes' throats then stuck the sticks into the ground near the fire so they would cook.

Mannen looked at the girl huddled near the fire. It had grown rather cool after dusk.

"I am used to the cold." Reki had noticed that Mannen was staring at her. When she said this, he quickly looked away. It was then when Reki took one of the fish sticks out of the ground and handed it to Mannen, who took it gratefully. She took the other and they ate together, quietly.

When they were done the stars were out and they decided to sleep. Reki curled up on the side of the fire she was sleeping on and Mannen slept against the tree underneath its' leaves and the stars.


	8. Snow Fox

Hypothermia chapter 8

Mannen slowly opened his eyelids after sleeping against the tree all night. The morning sun shown in his eyes and stung them slightly. Everything was peaceful and spring-like he thought while a wind blew passed. It was then when he noticed something different. He looked over to his right side and there next to him, curled up, was Reki.

'Wow, she's cute.' He thought then thought about it some more coming into the realization of what was happening. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Mannen jumped away out of nervousness while blushing and looked at Reki from a distance as she slowly awoke to his yelling.

"You were warm." She said while now sitting on her knees. Reki said it so innocently. She tilted her head like a confused dog, which only made Mannen blush more.

"Um...Why don't you show me that place you were talking about yesterday?" Mannen suggested, trying to get away from the topic, which he was embarrassed by the way he was handling it. He mentally hit himself.

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm better today thanks to you."

"Okie dokie!" The fox-girl said while jumping up and grabbing Mannen's arm and they began to run.

* * *

Kei was in a Leafanian town somewhere. It looked like a futuristic version of a medieval village with Leafanians. Some of the Leafanians looked like humans, some looked like part human part animal, and other looked like animals. Others looked like mythical creatures. Leafania was different from the human world. It was more entwined with nature. 

Kei sighed out of frustration.

* * *

Mannen and Reki had reached their destination, Reki's treasure hold. The girl moved some rocks that held down a large wooden board. She then dragged the board away to reveal a large hole which held many items. 

"I found all these." She said, looking up at Mannen who looked down at the items. Some looked like junk that had been discarded on purpose while other items looked like they had been lost involuntarily that looked cool.

Before he could look around more a Leafanian monster tried to attack them unexpectedly. It was huge and dark as though it was encased in shadows with glowing red eyes that pierced through the shadows. It was hard to see much of the shape but it was easy to notice its' long arms with big claws with which he attacked the two with. Mannen pulled Reki out of the way but the claws smashed right into Reki's treasure hold.

Reki was saddened and angered at what the monster had done. She rushed forward to try and attack the monster.

"Reki! Don't!" Mannen grabbed her hand, which then gave off a blinding light then faded to reveal a fox-like ice prétear.

'You're a prétear?' Mannen yelled from inside Reki. Reki looked around trying to find Mannen.

"Where did you go, Mannen?" She asked while looking at the clothes that had appeared on her. "And what is a prétear?"

"I'll explain later! Just attack the monster!"

"Ok!" Reki ran toward the monster at an incredible speed jumped above the monster then froze it accidentally then kicked it and made it shatter. They unpréted and stood next to each other.

* * *

Go had heard noises that sounded like a battle so with Hajime and Shin now awake they searched to find the source of it. 

"What do you think it was, Go?" Hajime asked.

"I'm not sure but it might have something to do with the others so we should hurry."

"Right." The two younger boys nodded in agreement.

* * *

Hayate and Himino had also heard the noise and were also searching for it. They were running through the dense forest. 

"Hayate, do you think that someone is fighting?"

"Probably. But I'm not sure if they need our help or not. Leafania is full of both weak and strong monsters as well as civilians."

"I see. I haven't seen much of Leafania. I was never here much until now." Himino said while slowing down to a walk. She was breathing hard from all the running. Hayate held out his hand to her.

* * *

"Are we lost?" Takako asked Sasame. 

"Maybe just a little."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Takako looked at him but their conversation was cut short when a bright light lit up the forest. "What was that?" She asked when Sasame picked her up and flew above the trees just in time to see the wind prétear fly by.

"Himino!" Takako and Sasame said together. Himino stopped and flew back toward them.

"Hey guys!" Himino said happily. "We heard something and were going to check it out. We think that the others may be there." She was a little more serious now. "Fallow me!" She said while flying off again now with two others fallowing her.

* * *

Mannen had explained the prétear to Reki and at the moment she was looking at her destroyed treasures. Everything had gotten destroyed when the monster attacked but she still looked for anything that was still fine. Mannen was standing behind her and stepped forward only to step on something. He looked beneath his foot to see a bracelet that was probably something Reki had found that did not get destroyed. It was a silver circle with small gold leaves on a gold vine that rapped around that silver circle that was the base of the bracelet. 

He picked it up and walked over to her. Mannen took one of Reki's wrists and slid the bracelet on. She smiled then jumped and hugged Mannen. Mannen blushed once again but also smiled.

When they broke apart they began to walk away from the battlegrounds. They walked in silence side-by-side for a while until Reki noticed another scratch on Mannen's upper arm.

"Mannen, you are bleeding."

"Huh? Oh. I must have gotten it from the monster."

"I know a town near by. We should go get supplies." Reki said now knowing that almost everything she had collected was gone. Mannen nodded and they continued on their way.

* * *

-Back at the battle site- 

Go, Hajime, Shin, Himino, Hayate, Takako, and Sasame had all met up at the source of the noises they had heard. They looked around to see nothing but damaged land a pieces of junk everywhere.

"Do you think Mannen was here?" Sasame asked the others. Hajime and Shin were looking around at the junk.

"I hope he's ok..." Himino added.

"We all do Himino." Go added.

"Hey guys!" Hajime called. "Look what we found!" Shin was holding up something shiny.

"We don't wanna see junk you found right now!" Go called to them.

"But Go! It isn't junk!" Shin called to him.

"Yeah! Come look!" They decided to see what the two had found that was so important.

"What is it?" Go asked them. Shin held up a piece of ice. The all gasped. "Mannen!"

"Look here!" Hajime pointed to a rock that had small spots of blood on it. Their eyes widened.

"We should find him fast." Sasame put in and they all nodded.

"But which way did he go?" Hayate asked the group. No one said anything; no one knew.

Just then, the green typi sat on Go's head and Go tried pitifully to look at it. The typi soon fluttered off and onto the ground then began to walk again.

"I wonder where our typi went." Shin said.

"Last time he was at the mansion before Mannen got sick." Hajime answered. "Maybe he got sent to Leafania too."

Awayuki Mansion-

Typi is sleeping on one of the mansion's beds in a quiet room.

Back to the forest of Leafania-

"I think the typi knows where he's going. He did before. Let's fallow him." Go told everyone.

"Great...following a typi." Hayate mumbled.

"You say something?" Go turned to him.

"N-no." He stuttered back while looking away. He didn't want to get on the fire knight's bad side, especially not now. With that fight avoided, they fallowed the typi.

To be continued-


	9. Strength

FeatherWings: I would like to apologize for the lack of description. -bows-

Hypothermia chapter 9

Mannen held his hand over the cut he had received from the battle. It was worse then thought it had been. Blood trickled down his arm and dripped onto the ground now leaving a trail that stained the ground. His back began to ach again and realized that the wounds hadn't healed yet.

"Reki, are we almost there?"

"Not really. Does it hurt bad?"

"No, no I'm fine." Mannen lied out of his high pride. He didn't want to show weakness toward the injuries.

They were walking on a dry dirt road that seemed to go on forever. Mannen thought back to the battle. The dark monster that was like a night storm; its' terrible claws that had caused Reki grief and him to get hurt. She had almost run into a battle out of rage. A thought then popped into Mannen's mind.

'Is Reki really a prétear or is she something else?' Reki then noticed Mannen was spacing off and walking slightly behind her. She turned around quickly to face him and shouted.

"Boo!" Mannen was startled and jumped up. He looked at her and blinked a few times before she turned around and darted down the dirt road. Mannen soon ran after her.

"Hey! What was that for? I'm the one who should be doing things like that!" He yelled though he wasn't watching where he was going a tripped over a rock sending him face first into the dirt. "Ow..." Unfortunately the arm with the cut had slid across the dirt as well leaving a bloody mark on the dry dirt and getting dirt in his cut. "Shit!"

Reki heard him fall and quickly turned around and ran back to him. She began to help him up. "Are you ok, Mannen?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." But he winced several times while he was getting up.

"I am sorry." Mannen looked up at her when she said this.

"Why?" He seemed surprised that she was apologizing.

"If I had not done that while you were hurt you wouldn't have-" She was looking down at the dirt when Mannen interrupted her.

"Dummy! It isn't your fault! I wasn't looking where I was going!" She seemed surprised at this and had her eyes opened wide with curiosity and confusion. She then looked at Mannen's cut that had gotten dirty.

"Let us keep going." She said and turned around to continue. Mannen soon caught up to her.

Somewhere in Leafania-

The members of the group that had met up were still fallowing the typi. The typi had led them to a dirt road that they were now fallowing.

"He must not be too injured since he went so far." Hayate said.

"You know, we haven't seen Kei yet." Takako added.

"I wonder where he is..." Sasame put in. "Maybe he's with Mannen?"

"Maybe but I think Mannen would more likely run from Kei then stick with him sometimes." Go told them.

After they stopped talking, the green typi (which Shin named Mori) suddenly up and flew away leaving them on the dirt path to find Mannen on their own. Luckily it wasn't as hard now when they noticed a blood train that had stained the light colored, dry dirt and rocks that covered the road.

"Maybe one of us should go ahead?" Himino suggested.

"Good idea. But who?" Sasame asked the group. Go was the one who spoke out.

"I'll go." And he held his hand out to Himino which she took knowing he was the most protective of the younger knights. After a flash of light the fire prétear emerged. They flew just above the path to fallow the trail Mannen left behind.

The Town-

They had finally made it to the town to Mannen's relief. He had grown tired and now wanted a place to rest. The blood on his arm was drying and the cut had a newly formed scab where the blood clotted. His back pain had grown worse however. It felt as though the skin was being ripped from the inside out.

"Hey I just thought of something, Reki. I don't have any money. Do you?"

"Money?"

"You know, to pay for things."

"Pay?"

"If you don't pay for things, what do you do?"

"Steal." Before Mannen could say anything more she rushed off only to appear moments later carrying some things while running. He soon saw that a man, probably a shopkeeper, was chasing after her. When she reached Mannen, she didn't stop but grabbed his arm and after momentarily dragging him he ran on his own with her.

Somewhere else in the town-

Kei was searching for anyone he knew in the crowded streets of the town he was currently in. He came near an alleyway and looked in to see it went to more shops. It was then when he saw two kids run passed the alleyway and soon after them, so did a shopkeeper who was yelling: "Stop! You thieves!"

Kei didn't think the shopkeeper was going to be able to keep up with the ones he was chasing too much longer. He seemed old and large and just as he suspected he saw the shopkeeper soon walk passed again very pissed off.

Then it hit him. 'Could that have been Mannen?' Kei thought to himself before rushing down the alleyway and into the streets in the direction that the kids had gone.

In another alleyway-

"The other bandages, I had stolen. I kept them for when I needed them." Reki told Mannen while they sat and she cleaned his arm. But when she looked at his face she could see he was falling asleep and trying to keep his eyes open.

"Mannen!" Mannen became wide-awake at the sound of his name being yelled. Reki was as well startled because it wasn't her who had called out for him. They both looked over at the entrance of the alleyway to see Kei.

Kei observed Mannen. He was covered in bandages and his clothes were torn and dirty as well as his skin in several places. He then looked at the fox girl who was next to him. Ever since he had come near them he felt as though his power had increased but why?

Mannen spoke up. "Reki, this is Kei and he's another leafe knight. I told you I'm the leafe knight of ice. He's the leafe knight of light." Reki nodded. "Kei, this is Reki. I met her in the forest."

"I see." Is all Kei said for several minutes. It had grown awkwardly silent. Kei was trying to figure out why he felt stronger. 'Could this girl be-but I've only read about them in ledgends.' He thought before he said to the two, "Come on. Lets find the others."

Somewhere else in town-

"Shit, the trails gone." Go said. Him and Himino had unpreted.

"Now what?" Takako asked.

"Hey, isn't that Kei?" Hajime asked.

"And Mannen!" Shin yelled.

"And someone we don't know." Sasame said while pointing to the fox girl briefly.

Go noted that Mannen looked extremely tired and that he had several bandages. He almost looked like he was still sick but he didn't have any of the signs when he was sick besides the tiredness. It shouldn't be the snow spirit because Tsumetai was gone.

"Hey! Kei! Over here!" Hayate yelled to the other leafe knight. He soon joined up with the rest of the group. Most of them suddenly felt stronger and more powerful then just a few minutes ago.

"Yay! We're all back together! Hey Mannen, who's this?" Himino asked implying Reki.

"This is Reki. She helped me." Mannen said quietly. He seemed like he was about to fall asleep while standing up or pass out. He wavered slightly side-to-side.

Hajime and Shin tugged on Go's sleeve so he looked down at them. Their eyes were half closed and they looked like how Mannen was acting even though they were just fine seconds ago.

"Go, we're really tired." Hajime said while Shin yawned. Go held them up while he felt them lean on him more and more till they were asleep.

"Hey, what's wrong with them?" Himino asked now coming over.

"I dunno. This is strange. They both just got tired all of a sudden." The two looked down at the young knights who were fast asleep. They turned toward the rest of the group when they heard something hit the floor, which was soon followed by Sasame calling Mannen's name. Himino and Go looked from where they were standing so Hajime and Shin wouldn't fall. The others were around Mannen now along with Sasame who turned Mannen on his back since he had fallen forward.

Takako went over to Himino and Go to help them with Hajime and Shin. Go handed the sleeping Shin to Takako and Hajime to Himino before hurrying over to Mannen. Himino kept thinking about the incident with Tsumetai and how Mannen had become sick because of it. She wondered if he hadn't healed completely yet. It wasn't so far after still.

"I have seen an inn. Should we take them there?" Reki suggested. The others nodded. Go picked up Mannen and they all fallowed Reki to the inn.

The inn was a clay building away from the busy streets. There were steps surrounding it that slightly went down like a small valley. There were a few plants and flowers hanging from poles that extended from the inn and some pots on the ground against the walls. The door was old, wooden and very heavy but they were able to open it with not too much effort.

There was a desk with a woman who had her hair tied up in a bun but didn't wear a uniform. She was wearing a plain, red dress and was young. The lady seemed to be sleeping in a chair when they walked up.

"Excuse me." Sasame said and she shot open her eyes to reveal yellow, cat-like eyes. She stood up and bowed.

"Welcome to our inn. Please forgive my rudeness." Sasame nodded at her and she looked up at them. Sasame turned around to ask everyone something.

"Anyone have leafanian money?" he whispered

"What's leafanian money look like?" Himino and Takako ask each other then directed the question to Hayate.

"It's looks like little silver or gold coins with three holes in a pyramid formation in the middle."

No one had any money and were now determining what to do when the woman at the desk spoke up. "1,2,3,4,5,6,7...are you...The leafe knights?" They nodded. "And you must be prétear. She pointed to the girls. They nodded. "In that case, you can stay for free. Inn policy." Everyone gave a sigh of relief. "Come on I'll show you to your rooms." She said while walking out from behind the desk and to some clay stairs that lead upward.

The hallways were dark but had some sunlight show in from a window at the end of the hallway. She opened several doors before speaking.

"These 5 rooms shall be yours. They each connect to each other with a door so feel free to open them. Each room has two beds not including the fifth, which only has one. Please tell me if you need anything." She bowed then walked off to return to her post.

They walked into the rooms that had wooden doors. The rooms were mostly made of clay, like the rest of the building, but also had glass windows with white, translucent curtains. The beds were regular white sheets and pillows that was laid on a wooden frame. Each room floor bore a small red carpet that only took up a small portion of the floor.

Go, Himino, and Takako walked over to separate beds and placed their charge down. They were limp and did not wake from any of the moving around. The others all met in a separate room except for Reki who seemed to stay in Mannen's room.

"So...what the hell is going on?" Go asked.

"The incident with Tsumetai must have some clues." Sasame said.

Hayate came into the conversation, "You mean there's another person who's doing this?"

"Probably. When Reki showed up, I felt stronger." Sasame put in.

"So did I." Go said and the others nodded in acknowledgement that they too felt stronger.

"There's a creature I once read about in legend. But I never thought they actually existed." Kei spoke.

To be continued-


	10. Reactions and Outbursts

Hypothermia chapter 10

"So Kei, what is this legend?" Sasame asked the knight of light.

"A power enhancer." he answered.

"Power...enhancer?" Go repeated. The group was gathered in a room vacant of the kids. Dusk now came over Leafania like a veil of dim light. the light crept in though the window and created shadows that danced on the walls.

"In legend, they are able to enhance the power of anyone. Human, prétear, knight, leafanian, animal and so on. Thus, the name. It's also said that they can prét with the knights but it is somehow slightly different."

"But then what about Shin, Hajime, and Mannen? They all seemed to get weaker." Go asked.

"Well, remember when Mannen became sick because he needed to prepare for an event and a task he needed to do?" Everyone nodded. "It's the same concept."

"But why didn't we-" Hayate asked but was unable to finish when Kei intervened.

"They're younger and their powers aren't at their peak yet." Their conversation was cut short when they heard screams from Hajime's and Shin's rooms. The older ones rushed into their rooms. They had split up to cover both rooms.

Takako, Sasame, and Kei went into Shin's room to find the knight of plants holding the top of his head with his tiny hands.

"Shin, what's wrong?" Sasame asked in a worried voice. The young knight was crying like he often did. Shin removed his hands from his head to reveal two cat-like ears that had newly shed blood on them.

Himino, Hayate and Go had gone into Hajime's room to find him huddled over on the bed holding his lower arms. He looked up when the small group approached.

"They just came out of my skin." His voice was quiet and raspy.

"What did, Hajime?" Go asked as he put a hand on the boy's small shoulder. Hajime removed his hands from his lower arms and the group saw what he meant. There was a pair of clear, blue fins that popped out of his arms. Like Shin, there was blood around them.

The older ones tended of the two young knights and, in the commotion, had forgotten about Reki and Mannen.

Mannen's dream-

Mannen stood on the frozen lake. The same one he had been to in his dream when he first met Tsumetai. The only difference was there was no Tsumetai that stood on the ice. In his other dream the ice had cracked and broken but now it was as if that never happened.

"Why am I here?" Mannen asked to no one while staring at the barren frozen lake.

_"Mannen." _He turned around at the sound of his name to find the snow spirit herself. Next to her stood a young boy around Mannen's age and several wolves. _"Mannen. You remember me don't you?"_ He was speechless from surprise and curiosity so he nodded. _"This is my son, Zutto. We thank you for reuniting us. But we are also sorry. Because of what happened, your body has become temporarily fragile and there is something else now that you must do. You will find out with time about what it is. We will assist you as best we can."_

They all stood there in silence. Mannen was confused about what was going on. He didn't know what to say. Tsumetai smiled then turned to walk away; the others did the same. It was now that Mannen chose to speak.

"Wait!" They stopped in their tracks; slightly startled from his sudden outburst. Before he could ask a question he had, Tsumetai spoke.

_"You will understand when the time comes." _Was her advice. The group then turned to leave once again and soon was out of sight from a veil of snow that pulled itself over them.

Mannen stood alone in the snow. It wasn't cold or warm, it was simple vacant of feeling. He felt so much confusion spinning in his head. Frustrated, he sat down in the snow and let the snow from the sky cover him as it did the ground. He closed his eyes and then thought he heard someone humming. But who? It sounded familiar...was it Reki?

Outside Mannen's dream-

Reki had heard the chaos coming from the other rooms but she did not leave Mannen's side even for a moment. She had become bored sometime ago and now hummed a song she had heard in her childhood upon sneaking around villages. She watched as Mannen slightly moved in his bed. No covers had been placed over him due to the warmness of the season.

Mannen seemed uncomfortable to Reki from the observations she made while looking at him. His face was slightly twisted as if in a nightmare or perhaps something else bothered him. Mannen then turned over to lie on his stomach and Reki noticed that his back was bleeding near his shoulder blades.

Reki's eyes soon shot back to Mannen's face and saw he blinked telling that he was now awake. He soon stopped blinking and held his eyes tightly shut as well as squeezing the covers, which he laid upon. Wings slowly emerged from his back covered in blood. Mannen bit his lip and didn't scream but managed to make his lip bleed. (AN/ I like wings, can you tell:p)

Reki had backed away from Mannen in fright but now approached him since the wings had already fully grown. She wasn't sure what was going on today but she knew she had to help Mannen due to the fact that the others were taking care of the other two and probably didn't know what had just happened.

Night had fallen upon the village-

"Go."

"Yes, Hajime?"

"I feel less tired now." His arms still bore the fins but lacked the blood. Go wasn't sure what to say. "I think having the fins helps somehow because now I feel stronger." The older knight thought about this awhile then got up from his chair in Hajime's room.

"I'll be right back." He said while leaving.

Go went and gathered the others to talk about this information he got from Hajime. There must be a connection with the fins, the stronger feeling and with Reki.

few minutes later

"Maybe there was too much power for the younger knight's to handle so there was a reaction to it?" Sasame suggested.

"Makes sense...But then why didn't Mann-" Hayate was cut short.

"Maybe he did." Kei added. Without words, Himino and a few others rushed out of the room with the rest of the group fallowing.

When they reached his room they found him sitting up with bandages wrapped around his chest and back. Two blue-ish white wings came from his back. They were feathers instead of the snow and ice wings he had had before. The boy held his head down to not expose his face until the others walked up which then he looked up to them. They stood next to Reki who stood near the bed. Himino was the first to talk.

"How do you feel, Mannen?" She said in a caring voice. He smiled a little and answered:

"Dizzy." He then remembered what Tsumetai had told him. _"-your body has become temporarily fragile-" _This moment was cut short when they heard something coming from outside. It was a strange sound. It was something hard to describe and almost unbelievable to hear. If shadows had a sound, that's what it sounded like.

The older knights rushed to the windows to look out. They found shadow-like monsters roaming the streets of the town. For the longest time, no one spoke. They all stared in horror.

"These kinds of monsters, the knights alone cannot beat." Sasame whispered as to not catch the attention of the monsters outside. "They're extremely hard to defeat."

To be continued-

Find out more in the next chapter-


	11. The House

Hypothermia Chapter 11

Sasame walked down to the front desk to ask the cat-like leafanian if she knew anything about the creature in town. Even though there were many monsters in Leafania it was rare for one to come into town.

When he reached the desk the woman had her head down on the desk. He thought she was sleeping again until he heard muffled sobs. He slowly approached.

"Excuse me?" He said and her head shot up.

"I'm sorry." She said while wiping her eyes with her hands.

"I saw something last night; I was wondering why a shadow-like creature was in town."

This made he woman cry more. "Those are Shadow Creatures who take Leafanians away. They've been appearing everywhere lately. They took my sister last night!" She said in-between sobs. Sasame left her alone not wanting to upset her more.

When he returned to the rooms he told of his findings to the others. Mannen heard from his spot on his bed. He had a blanket wrapped around him that flopped over his head.

"We fought one." Everyone turned to him. "Me and Reki. We préted too."

'So she is a power enhancer.' They all thought. Go had said it out loud. Mannen just looked at them. Somehow it didn't surprise him.

"I have seen them many times. The number of them seems to be increasing."

"Do you know what they do with the leafanians they take?" Hayate asked but Reki shook her head.

"Go, Kei, Hayate," Sasame said. "Let's go."

"Hey! What about us?" Mannen protested.

Go stepped in "Stay here till we know what we're dealing with!"

"We fought one! We know!"

"We need to find out more!" They were yelling back and forth till Himino stepped in.

"Both of you, stop fighting! Mannen, Hajime, Shin, Reki; stay here. Hayate, Sasame, Go, Kei, Takako; let's go." She ordered while she dragged Hayate out the door.

"But Takako is a human!"

"She's older! And she used to be a prétear!" She yelled back from down the hall.

"Himino! Let go!" You could hear Hayate yell as they left. The room was now vaccant of the older ones and of course, Mannen wasn't one to listen.

He got off his bed and dropped the blanket then went to the window as the others fallowed. They watched the adults leave the building and walk towards the heart of town.

"Let's go." Mannen said as he got down from the window.

"Himino said to stay here." Hajime said.

"So? When have we listened before?"

"Oh yeah..."

They all fallowed the ice knight down the stairs and passed the front desk to the outside. They ventured through the small alleyways and hidden spots of the town which were almost forgotten or unused by the inhabitants. They didn't stick out due to the way leafanians looked; they fit right in.

"What are we looking for?" Shin asked.

"Shadow Creatures." Mannen replied.

"Shadow Creatures do not come into town in daylight." Reki said.

"What!" He yelled before turning to the group. "Then we'll just have to wait till nightfall."

"What are we gunna do till then?" Hajime asked as Shin nodded.

"We'll think of somethin! Right?" They all cheered and nodded. "Let's go!" He said and started to walk.

They walked in an alleyway where no one else was. Water dripped from unknown places and made muddles in the stone walkway. Pieces of wood that had once been used for building now leaned against the walls of the buildings that formed the alleyway. Boxes held various pieces of junk and sat on the ground. There would be a few spots where the stones which they walked upon had worn away from rain.

At the end of the alley way was an open area enclosed by buildings on all sides except for the alley from where they had come in. The four curious kids approached the house which was old and in ruins. They were able to open the big wooden doors of the unknown place the planned to explore. They all coughed from the collected dust that was moved around from the door moving.

From where they stood in the doorway, they could see that the house had been abandoned for a long time and the age was having an affect on the untended house that probably stood grandly in it's day.

They entered the building with excitement for the unknown.

"Let's stick together," Mannen started while he looked to the others in time to see Shin and Hajime running off on their own in the dusty, dim lighted house. "Hey! Wait!" He said while running after them.

Reki was looking at the stairs that had a beam of light from a hole in the roof that attracted her. She went towards it and looked up in wonder. She slowly ascended up the stairs. There was a long dark hallway, which she walked now.

Various paintings hung on the walls and she jumped when she saw her reflection in a mirror. She looked at the mirrors and saw that there was a crack that ran from one corner to another.

She soon continued down the hall till she reached a door at the end. She touched the dull, gold colored knob that was attached to the wooden door and it slowly creaked open. Inside was a bed, a few chairs, a desk, a bookshelf with books, and a cradle.

Reki walked over to the cradle and looked in. There were a few blankets and a doll that lay there. She picked up the doll to examine it before laying it back down and walking over to the desk. There was a picture frame with dust covering the picture.

Reki picked up the picture frame and wiped off the dust with her hand. In the picture sat a woman holding two babies. One had fox ears and a foxtail and orange hair. The other had the same type of ears and tail but they were grey-blue and the baby had gray-blue hair. The woman looked like a combination of the two with her one orange ear and one grey-blue ear and had two tails, one of each color.

The fox girl touched the picture with one of her hands but soon jerked away at the sound of Mannen's voice. "Reki! Where did you go?" She heard him yell from downstairs. She put down the picture and hurried toward where Mannen's voice came from.

Somewhere else in the house-

Mannen, Hajime, and Shin walked in a hallway which was dark and that made it hard to see. Somehow they had gotten lost. The house looked smaller from the outside than how it actually was on the inside. The house seemed to have been abandoned suddenly and unintentionally but they didn't know why.

Something caught their eyes once in awhile. Shadows seemed to move on their own and they wondered if they were Shadow Creatures.

"Mannen...what are those things?" Shin asked in a scared voice. Mannen turned around.

"They're ghosts!" He said trying to scare them more. They screamed and Mannen snickered until he felt someone tapping him on his shoulder. He froze before slowly turning around and because he was still weak from the Tsumetai incident he accidentally froze part of the hallway.

When he saw who had touched him he was relieved.

"Reki! You scared me!" He hung his head; Reki petted his soft hair.

"Shouldn't we be getting back?" Hajime asked.

"Go's gunna be mad!" Shin added and Mannen nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go." They all walked back to the place they had first entered but before they could reach the door a Shadow Creature dropped from above them.

Mannen thought quickly to freeze the creature to the ground so it couldn't move. Unfortunately, it could still move it's arms, hands and claws, which it used to smack them all back with great force.

Mannen tried to aim ice at the creature but was not able to control the direction and missed. His eyes were un-focusing on their own so he decided to tell the others tactics to use.

"Hajime!" Hajime turned to him. "Prét with Reki!" The younger boy nodded before holding his hand out to her. She took it and in a matter of seconds and after a flash of blinding light the water prétear appeared.

Reki and Hajime used the water frail to destroy the Shadow Creature with ease. They unpréted and looked back to Mannen and Shin who were behind them.

"Mannen!" They both yelled as they saw him laying on the ground with Shin kneeling next to him. Hajime and Reki ran to him and kneeled by him like Shin.

His face was twisted as if he was in pain of having a nightmare.

Mannen's Dream-

_"Mannen."_ He heard Tsumetai's voice and he opened his eyes. He scanned the place where he was and saw it was dark and made of stone which he laid upon.

"A cave?" He questioned.

_"My home."_ He looked up to see Tsumetai sitting on her knees in front of him. She smiled at him. He turned his head to the opening and saw Zutto and the wolves playing outside. _"Mannen."_ She said to get him to look at her. _"There is a technique you must learn."_

"What technique and why?" He asked.

_"It's a purification technique. The Shadow Creatures take leafanians away to make them Shadow Creatures but there is a way to turn them back without killing them."_

"I've been killing leafanians?" He was shocked and a strike of sadness and grief came to him.

_"Mannen..." _ Tsumetai started, _"It was the only way at the time. Learn this technique so you won't have to do that anymore." _Mannen nodded solemnly.

"Why were Shadow Creatures in that house?"

_"They are attracted to that house."_

"Why?"

_"That's the place it all began..."_

"Huh?"

_"Mannen...find the core..."_

"The core...?" He asked as everything faded. He awoke in the inn room.

"The core..." He repeated.

To be continued-

So, what'd ya think? Thank you to everyone who reviewed! can i ask for 50 reviews?


	12. Voice

FeatherWings: Sorry if you don't like it anymore o.o;; uh, if u do like it please review n.n

Hypothermia chapter 12

"You went out while you were still sick!" Go yelled.

"I'm not sick anymore!"

"Well, you're still recovering!"

"I'm fine!"

"We found you passed out on the ground after Hajime found us and told us to come with him!" Mannen didn't have a response for this and just sat on a bed with a face that looked like he was at war.

"I can't believe we left them alone..." Kei added. They were all gathered in one room. The youngest ones of the group stood by Mannen as the older ones stood facing them.

"You're such a little kid Mannen!" Go yelled at him as Mannen winced and sunk into the bed.

"I'm not a little kid!" He shot back suddenly. "You just always treat me like one!"

"No. We treat you like one 'cause you act like one!" Go said. The fight would have continued if Himino didn't step in.

"Stop fighting!" She yelled. "This will only make the situation worse!" Takako nodded from behind her. Go and Mannen looked away from each other then Go walked out of the room annoyed. Kei, Sasame and Hayate soon fallowed him and that left, Mannen, Reki, Shin, Hajime, Himino, and Takako in the room.

"I'm not a little kid..." Mannen said quietly while facing the wall. Himino looked at him with sympathy knowing what he was feeling.

"Mannen..." She spoke. "Go and the others were just worried about you. When Hajime came to us and said that something happened to you we were all so worried." Himino sat down by him and Takako took the other young ones out of the room. "We know you're not a little kid but your still not that old. We want you to stay with us, alive." Mannen turned to her with watery eyes. Her eyes softened and she took him in her arms like he were her little brother; to her, he was her little brother.

"Himino," He said as he hugged her back while crying, "I'm sorry..."

Her younger brother, she saw, was growing. She looked at the wings on his back. Such beautiful feathers she thought as she touched them. She felt Mannen relax and looked down at him. He had fallen asleep to her surprise. She smiled and laid him down on the bed where they sat.

Himino then heard something that sounded like someone singing. She ventured into one of the other rooms where she found she found Shin and Hajime leaning out the window looking at something. She went over to them and noticed the singing got louder. Takako stood next to them looking worried.

"What are you two looking at?" She asked giggling slightly. They turned to her, smiled and made room for her to look. Himino got to the window and looked out, saw nothing but the singing was now close by. Himino looked in the direction it sounded from, up and to the side slightly, to see Reki on the roof singing.

Reki noticed her. "Hello Himino." Shin and Hajime wedged themselves in the small spaces between Himino and the edge of the window on both sides. Reki walked over and jumped on the windowsill that slightly extended from the window. She was very graceful in doing so but it ended in her pushing the ones already there to the floor accidentally. "Sorry!" Reki apologized frantic by her mistake.

Himino laughed as she and the other got up. "That's ok." Just then, the others entered the room. They looked serious as if they had decided something.

"We're leaving." Go said.

"Where to?" Takako asked.

"We have gathered information about the Shadow-Creatures and we have to help the Leafanians out. So we have to go find the cause and stop it."

"We have to find the core." Everyone looked to the doorway to see Mannen leaning against the doorframe.

"The core?" Sasame repeated.

"That's what Tsumetai told me in a dream. She told me to find the core, learn purification, and that the house was were it started." Reki looked down in thought. What was that picture that she had seen? She looked up again quickly.

"At any rate, we have to search for whatever it is." Go said. They all nodded to this. They soon walked down the stairs of the inn for the last time, said good-bye to the cat-like woman and left in search for the core.

They passed through the crowded streets of the town. Mannen noted that the people seemed almost oblivious to what was going on. 'Why?' Mannen stopped while the others continued walking. 'Don't they see? They aren't afraid?' Mannen blinked as he looked around. It was bright and hard to believe something like this was happening. 'Why does everything seem distant but so close? So real but yet so fake?'

"Mannen, you ok?" Go asked as Mannen turned around to see they had all stopped to wait for him.

"Oh! Uh..um..yeah! Just thinking..." Go raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well come on. We gatta go." Mannen rushed over to the others.

After wondering the streets of the town, they found themselves on a dirt road in a forest once again. For the moment, Mannen seemed fine but never did at least one knight not stand next to him.

'There's something I can't explain, can't describe, a feeling, partly confused.'

_'You are the key.'_

'Huh? A voice? Is it Tsumetai?'

_'Which side will you choose?'_

'What...side?'

_'Don't be afraid when you loose your path.'_

'What are you talking about? Who are you?'

"Mannen? You ok?" Sasame asked the boy who had stopped and looked at the sky suddenly.

"Wah?" He looked around at everyone. "Sorry. Thought I heard something." They all took this answer and continued walking.

"So, what information can we use?" Hayate asked.

"Actually we got barely anything useful." Kei said.

"What!" Go yelled. "I thought we had a lot!"

"Most of it was just about the shadow creatures. But we did get one useful piece of information to where to go."

"What's that?" Himino asked.

"An oracle said 'Go north until the star lights up.'"

"What the hell does that mean?" Go asked.

"I'm not sure but at least we know a direction."

"We may find out what it means when we get to wherever it is we're going." Sasame added.

"But how will we know when we get there?" Takako asked him. Everyone looked at each other for several minutes in silence.

"Let's just go!" Hayate yelled, tired not getting anywhere.

To be continued...


	13. Mirror

Hypothermia chapter 13

Mannen stared up at the moon. It had become night and they decided to set up camp at dusk. It was a full moon that was bright and seemed to have its own glow. Mannen had wondered away from the others to find himself on a tree branch. He found the moon to be very beautiful tonight and as he stared up at it he began to think of what the oracle said.

It was then when the moon seemed to change. It began to change to different colors and swirl around. It also, soon after, seemed to shift shapes. Mannen squinted his eyes; he thought he was hallucinating or imagining it but the moon did not stop changing.

_"Hurry."_ said a voice.

"Huh?"

_"Come...to...me..."_

"Who are you?" Mannen asked but the voice did not answer. He rubbed his eyes then looked back at the moon, which had returned to normal.

Mannen decided it was a good time to return to the others. He climbed down the trunk of the tree, which he sat on and walked on the ground that he had walked to get to his current position. Or at least he thought he it was.

He walked but he seemed to keep getting more and more lost. The forest was unfamiliar as if it were shifting and purposely trying to confuse him. He still continued to such for his friends.

Campsite-

"Where the hell is Mannen?" Go asked the group. He had been looking all over since he had noticed Mannen was missing.

"We thought he was with you." Sasame answered.

"He's not."

"Mannen's missing?" Himino asked from her seat near the fire with Shin and Hajime.

"Mannen where the hell are you!" Go yelled.

"Mannen!" Hayate joined and soon after the others did too. After awhile they decided to search for him so out they went wondering away from the campsite like he had. After hours of searching they were unable to find him and returned to the campsite where they had left Himino, Reki, Shin, Hajime, and Takako to discus what to do and see if he had returned.

Deep in the forest-

Mannen stood looking at a river that reflected the moon. He definitely didn't remember this. He was frustrated now and sat down by the river. He looked at the moon's reflection again.

_"Hurry!"_

"To where?" he asked quietly. "Why?"

_"Please..." _Mannen stood up. He looked at the sky to see a small, bright light swirl around. _"Come!"_

Mannen flew up to what ever was making the light to see a small crystal float around. When Mannen tried to touch it, it moved away from him then flew around him and headed off in another direction. Mannen decided to fallow it.

It lead him for what seemed like hours and started to wonder if his friends saw it too and if they were worried about him. The crystal began to descend in the direction of a huge tree. Mannen also descended to the tree but when he got there the crystal broke into several little shards.

"Mannen!" he heard someone call from behind him. He turned around to see the ones he had been looking for.

"Hey gu--" before Mannen could finish Go punched him in the face which sent him to the ground. He looked up at him.

"Go! Stop!" Himino protested.

"You know how worried we were again!" Go told Mannen as he rubbed his own cheek were Go had hit him.

"I had to come here."

"Why?"

"I dunno..." They turned to the tree. Mannen tried to touch the trunk of it when energy of some sort protested and shielded itself from Mannen. Himino stepped forward and Takako tried when Sasame grabbed her hand. They hadn't excepted what happened next.

A light shown from the two and then the sound prétear appeared. "What? How can this be?" Takako looked at herself. Sasame was equally as shocked as were the rest. Mannen turned back to the tree.

Reki walked up and stood next to him. They looked at each other then held hands and another light emerged then disappeared to reveal the ice prétear.

The tree suddenly grew and tried to attack the group by using its branches; it tried to in ravel them like vines.

"It's Reki who's allowing us to prét!" Sasame said. Soon the wind prétear appeared as well. The branches pushed them from the trunk of the tree. Shadow creatures appeared all around which they now had to fight off along with the tree.

"What do we do?" Himino said desperately while slicing another branch. "I dunno." Kei yelled back as he fought a shadow creature.

"Where are Reki and Mannen?" Go asked the group while looking around.

Himino came face to face with the largest shadow creature. It was then when she remembered something Mannen had said.

'Purification.'

"Purification?" Himino repeated. She then closed her eyes.

"Himino! What are you doing?" Hayate yelled. Himino ignored him then spread her arms and opened her eyes. A ring of light appeared around the shadow creature. The shadow seemed to dissolve and a leafanian floated in its place. The ring slowly disappeared and the leafanian floated down to the ground.

"Himino! Up there!" Hayate yelled. She looked up at the sky and saw the ice prétear.

"Takako!" Himino yelled to her then waved her hand upward telling her to fallow.

The two met up with Reki and Mannen. Takako had seen Himino use purification and understood it now.

Takako and Himino used it on the tree, which made the tree almost defenseless. The ice prétear flew down to the trunk to see the bark peel away. Reki reached toward where it was peeling.

Inside the tree was dark and hallow and was as though it was not inside the tree at all.

Reki reached in. 'Is there something in there?' Mannen asked.

"I think so." She continued to reach further and further until her fingertips touched something soft and warm. She reached in further and wrapped her hand around whatever it was. She then pulled it out and it fell on top of her and Mannen.

"Is that a leafanian?" Mannen asked.

The leafanian had gray-blue hair and ears and a ail like Reki only a different color. She wore a dress like Reki only it was black as well as her hair tie.

The leafanian slowly sat up with her eyes closed. Around them the tree returned to normal and the shadow creatures dissolved into leafanians. The prétears floated down to the knights.

Reki and Mannen stood up in front of the girl as she slowly opened her gray-blue eyes and looked at them with tears.

The prétears unpréted and Reki came forward to help the girl up with kindness. Mannen stood behind smiling slightly.

One month later-

(At the Awayuki Mansion)

"Mannen! Get up! You're gunna be late for school!" Go yelled into Mannen's room.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Mannen got off his bed and went over to the window. He saw Reki and Ishi (which they had named the girl) out at a table with books. Ishi was slowly learning how to speak and talk for she didn't understand it. They weren't sure why.

Reki seemed to know a lot more about Ishi then anyone else but they had decided to give them privacy and didn't ask. They had suspicions that the two were sisters from how much alike they looked and how well they interacted with one another.

They lived life together like it was before anything ever happened except with two new friends.

The End


End file.
